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Every Monday -- News from GCP

September 9th, 2013

GCP advocacy efforts continue, as Congress returns from recess

Following the traditional August recess, Congress returns to Capitol Hill with a full agenda and a short legislative calendar. In regards to GCP priority items, expect to see the House introduce and move its version of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), called the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA). The Senate has already passed its version and awaits the House’s action to conference the likely differences that will emerge between the two bills.

We used the Cleveland visit for the Build Up Greater Cleveland Annual Meeting by Congressmen Bill Shuster (R-PA-9) and Bob Gibbs (R-OH-7), key members of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, to advocate for our priorities to be included in this legislation. We continue to work with them and hope our Great Lakes initiatives will be included in the final version of the House’s bill.

Other items taking precedence

But before there is serious movement on on the WRRDA, the first item under consideration will be a resolution calling for action against Syria. We can expect a loud and possibly protracted fight on this resolution. Support and opposition is evenly divided on both sides of the aisle, and as of this writing, the outcome will be based on the level of pressure exerted by leaders in the Senate, the House, and in the White House.

This vote will need to be followed quickly by a vote for a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the federal government operating into the next fiscal year. Again, expect some verbal sparring, but leadership on both sides of the aisle want to avoid a government shutdown. While we expect to see an agreement on a short-term CR to continue funding to the end of the calendar year, reaching consensus on a debt limit increase may prove to be more difficult.

Possible House action on immigration bill?

On the immigration front, opinions vary as to if the multiple House pieces of this landmark legislation will get to the floor for a vote. The Senate already has passed a single bill. The likely timeframe for floor action would be in October.

However, this may be pushed back as Congress needs to also move to increase the nation’s debt ceiling, if such a measure is not included in the CR. No matter the outcome, GCP continues itssupport for passage of a comprehensive bill that will include the organization’s proposal to create “High Skilled Immigration Zones.”

No Ohio projects funded in TIGER grant process

GCP learned last week that the TIGER 5 grant proposal by the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, which sought federal funding for the lakefront pedestrian bridge and parking facility, was not among those approved this year. The proposal asked for federal funds to augment local funding for the waterfront projects.

Of the 52 project in 37 states approved by the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program, none are in Ohio. The TIGER Grant process remains extremely competitive with application funding requests far exceeding the total amount of program funds available.

“While this decision is certainly disappointing, the project partners will continue to move forward and seek to identify additional funding options that will bring this transformational infrastructure project to fruition,” said Deb Janik, GCP senior vice president, real estate and business development.

Learn strategies to turbo charge business growth

The Greater Cleveland Partnership Innovation Forum on Tuesday, October 8 is for middle-market C-suite executives and high-level managers searching for new skills to incite opportunity, advance new strategies, and lead new initiatives.

Our speakers

Gretchen Goffe is executive director of the Innovation Initiative at the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. She will discuss how to create an organization that powers ongoing development of new products, new markets and business model ideas.

Dan Hursh, Cleveland office managing partner, Plante Moran, will provide a detailed briefing on current trends driving innovation in the middle market. Learn how the four tiers of innovators -- accidental, disciplined, top and superstar -- move up the innovation ladder and improve their financial results.

A travel story recently posted on the Huffington Post website gives Cleveland extremely high marks noting that it “appreciates its past while embracing the renewal of the future, that it “has aged well into a modern, global and down-to-earth city” and mentions the “rich and sophisticated culture that has defined (it) for many years."

The story—and photos—by writer and filmmaker Sally Fay are the result of an informal tour she received from George Gund Foundation President Dave Abbott during a weekend visit. “It was totally unexpected and a very pleasant surprise,” said Abbott.

Abbott says that both Fay, and her son, Walter Cottingham, who interned at Sherwin-Williams this past summer, became big fans of Cleveland and that their family has an interesting historical connection to the city. Walter’s great-great grandfather was the second CEO of Sherwin-Williams.

Share the good news: Pass the Plus!

You also can learn about and share the many positive developments shaping Northeast Ohio by subscribing to "Pass the Plus," the Cleveland Plus marketing campaign’s free monthly e-newsletter. It comes out the first Tuesday of every month and is a great resource for news and other information that highlights good news about the region. Many employers pass the e-newsletter along to their employees, or they pull stories from the publication to insert in their own internal newsletters.

The e-newsletter is one component of the Cleveland Plus campaign’s in-region communications program, which also boasts an active social media presence. Stay connected by following Cleveland Plus on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

GCP achieves United Way goal

Using a variety of staff activities to supplement pledges, GCP reached its 2013 United Way goal, raising a total of $48,300 during its four-week Stellar Campaign. The 2013 total topped last year’s fund raiser that collected close to $47,160.

“This year marks the United Way’s centennial, 100 years of working to improve quality of life in Greater Cleveland,” said GCP President and CEO Joe Roman. “We’re extremely pleased that, once again, we were able meet our goal to support this vital community resource."

GCP’s campaign included Stress Ball Bowling and Parachute Drop competitions, raffles with prizes donated by area businesses, and “Jeans Day,” which allowed the staff to wear jeans to work on Mondays during the month of August for a $5 per day United Way donation.

State grants to be awarded for employee training

The Ohio Development Services Agency is launching round two of the Ohio Incumbent Workforce Training Voucher Program, which is targeted to provide direct financial assistance to train workers and improve the economic competitiveness of Ohio's employers.

A pre-application can be completed and saved until September 29, 2013, in preparation for submission on September 30. Applications for the grant program will be accepted for review that day beginning at 10 a.m. $27 million in grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Click here to review the guidelines and application instructions for this program and to access the pre-application. For additional assistance, contact:

PlayhouseSquare to celebrate transformation

Mark your calendar for May 2, 2014, when PlayhouseSquare will hold a center-wide gala and community celebration to unveil the completion of the neighborhood transformation announced last spring. Click here to read more.

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